While Ayatollah Khomeini is considered the face of the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979, 'Ali Shari'ati is considered a much greater influence on shaping the revolutionary consciousness. Acceptable to both modernists as well as Islamists, Shari'ati's radicalism inspired much of the resistance in urban Iran in the closing years of the Shah. This... more...

Consisting of a bibliographical account of this early Sufi master's childhood, youth, and years as a teacher and spiritual leader, as well as of translations of a selection from his books and treatises, this work traces the life and teachings of Abdullah Ansari - from poverty and destitution as a boy, by way of furious arguments with scholars advocating... more...

Christopher Melchert examines the forefather of the fourth of the four principal Sunni schools of jurisprudence, the Hanbali. Upholding the view that the Qur'an was uncreated and the direct word of God, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780-855) thought that the holy text should be read literally, rejecting any possibility for metaphorical or revisionist interpretation.... more...

Ashraf Ali Thanawi (1863-1943) was one of the most prominent religious scholars in Islamic history. Author of over a thousand books on different aspects of Islam, his work sought to defend the Islamic scholarly tradition and to articulate its authority in an age of momentous religious and political change. In this authoritative biography, Muhammad... more...

Muhammad was a religious visionary and political leader. Raised in the harsh Arabian Peninsula and orphaned while still a child, this unlikely leader and military genius received a calling to transform his society from a collection of raiding tribes into one of the world's most progressive societies. His message of monotheism and righetousness motivated... more...

This book explores the development of the influential worldwide Hizmet movement inspired by the Turkish scholar Fethullah Gulen, known for his moderate Islamic emphasis on peaceful relations among diverse people. It provides a detailed study of Gulen?s account of the virtues and argues that they provide the key to understanding this thinker and the... more...

The Expeditions is one of the oldest biographies of the Prophet Muhammad to survive into the modern era. Its primary author, Ma?mar ibn Rashid (714-770 AD/96-153 AH), was a prominent scholar from Basra in southern Iraq who was revered for his learning in prophetic traditions, Islamic law, and the interpretation of the Qur?an. This fascinating foundational... more...